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Acts | Chapter 3

Chp. 3-5 Power, preaching & prison

3:1-26

“What I have I give to you”

I.) Intro.

II.) Vs. 1-11 Look, rise up & walk

III.) Vs. 12-26 Servant, Holy One, Prince of life, Jesus

Intro.

As we come now to the third chapter of Acts & the story of the lame man being healed as well as Peter’s second preaching opportunity I want to look at this for a moment from Luke’s perspective. As Luke sat down to write this letter to Theophilus his theme was that of showing the continual work of Jesus only now He was working through those called by His name. In the last section, (2:42-47) Luke described the practices of the early Church: (2:42) The Spirit filled Church that was devoted daily to those practices had certain undeniable characteristics: (2:43-47)

  1. Studying the Word of God                              POWERFUL
  2. Sharing with the people of God                      UNITED
  3. Celebrating the work of God                          WORSHIPING
  4. Communicating with the person of God       EVANGELISTIC

Luke now illustrates this fact by telling an event of what happened one-day as Peter & John went to the temple to pray. Simply put what we have heard Luke share with us in chapter 2:42-47 is brought out of the classroom, brought of just theory & put into the real world. I don’t know about you but I an always ready to listen to some guys new idea but what I really want to know is, “Will what you say really work?” Luke gives us just a sample to show that what he had shared with us really works. Now if it really works why not use it today?

Those folks that printed up my NKJ Bible apparently do not fully understand the dynamic of what Luke has been sharing in Acts so far. As you know many versions of the Bible like to add little headings or titles above paragraphs to give us, the reader, the theme of the section we are reading. Over this section verses 1-11 they erroneously put the title “Peter Heals the Lame Man”. Peter is of coarse there & there is a lame man but Peter does not heal him in fact Peter never healed any body. Now wait a minute you say, “I’ve read this section & Peter sure enough heals him.” No, it is Jesus who heals him & Peter tells us so in verses 12, 16 “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Yes those principals work but let us not forget that it is Jesus that does the work!


Vs. 1-11 Look, rise up & walk

Vs. 1 I love the fact that right off the bat these two fellows are seen going to prayer together. They had been partners with John’s brother in the fishing business. They had prepared the last supper together but there was also a competition between them as well. Now they are united together in Jesus!

The Jews were consistent in their times of prayer every day, (in fact to this day you will hear bells sound indicating that it is time to pray), at 9:am, noon & 3:pm. The 3:pm time of prayer followed the evening sacrifice. Peter & John did not go to make a sacrifice, as they now understood that Jesus had become the Lamb of God, but they did go up afterward to pray. The practice of daily prayer was something that they maintained & if they did so then it was most likely the pattern that all Jews practiced, 15 minutes of silent meditation, 30 minutes of petition, 15 minutes of adoration & worship. I like that as a pattern to practice:

  • Meditate on the character of God
  • Bring our needs to the heart of God
  • Worship at the feet of God

Vs. 2 Here Luke introduces us to this lame man. We are told several things about him:

  1. He was lame since birth. (4:22 tells us that he was over 40). In other words he had never walked.
  2. He was carried to this same spot daily to ask alms. (Giving to those who asked alms was seen as a means of conciliating God’s favor and warding off evil. It was among the essential virtues of the godly.) Simply put his handicap had become his vocation, he was now supported in the condition that he found himself in.
  3. He was brought to the gate called beautiful. We are told that this gate was the main entrance into the temple from the eastern gate & was made of Corinthian bronze 75 feet high & it took 25 men to open & close these doors. So? Well I suggest to you that this guy had the best location of any beggar in Jerusalem, so he was the most visible beggar that there was. 

Vs. 3-6 So on to this daily seen come Peter & John. And may I add that Jesus had been by this same guy many times before. So? Well think of that won’t you? Peter & John had walked by that guy before many times & so had Jesus. Perhaps they had even placed some money in his hand, but now there is going to be something different given to him.

            Hey, have you gotten tired of being on the outside as people passed you by? Have you grown frustrated being unable to move from your present condition? You’re so hopeless in your condition or situation that it has become your vocation. “Oh that’s old Dale he has been that way for ever!” In fact you have gotten so use to being the way that you are that you make sure that everybody will notice you. Then read this verse with HOPE in your heart because it’s time to change. How come Jesus had not healed him before? How come Peter & John did not stop & help? May I suggest to you that this lame man wanted only to be supported in his condition & not to be changed from it! So how about it are you ready to change jobs?

            When did this change of heart take place? Well it appears by the text that it was on the spur of the moment. This guys was doing what he had done in the same spot for years. This time though Peter & John take notice of him. Eye contact is made he gives his attention to them not for the right reason. Folks, I love this stuff. I mean this guy was not saying, “Well today I’m wanting to make changes in my life.” No, this change was unexpected. Further more we are told that it was instantaneous & complete, there was no four weeks of physical therapy followed by months with a cane. In other words there was nothing about this miracle that the lame man could claim.

            Lastly it was simple. Peter said, “Hey I’m not hear to support you in your bondage, but I will help you completely change!” There was something far more valuable then being supported by gold & silver it was to be set free! Peter give him no time to think about it he says, “by means of the character, authority & power of Jesus rise up & walk.”    

Vs.7 Peter did not just make his statement concern the person of Christ & then watch to see if the man would stand on his feet & walk. No, he leaned forward took him by the right hand & helped him up. Some one has well said the “power was Christ’s but the hand was Peter’s”.

Hey, I’m into this how about you? I think the body of Christ ought to be into making people able to walk. I think that they should be going to where people are at & giving them a hand up. Yet with that said Peter did not place him on his back & carry him. No, the lame man needed to trust Jesus & Peter was just there to show him how to do that. So often people think that if they can just have this or get that then they would be alright. But power to stand & walk did not come as a result of prosperity & came as a result of purity.

Vs. 8-11 Here we are told of three results of this miracle:

  1. Vs. 8 Joy: I think that really there are several miracles in this story.
  2. Vs. 8 a Physical healing: “leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them;” A lame man walks
  3. Vs. 8b Emotional healing: “walking, leaping.” This is just pure joy as he could not contain his expression & he did so as people were filing in for prayer. 
  4. Vs. 8c Spiritual healing: “and praising God”. His praise & worship were directed towards God. He was once outside the temple & now he was inside.
  5. Vs. 9-10Worship: All that heard this man rejoice over his healing were filled with amazement at what had taken place. They saw him walking, leaping & praising God knew that it was the same guy who had been lame for over forty years & it blew their minds, they were filled with wonder & amazement. Simply put his changed life brought about curiosity.

Hey, you ever stop & think of where this miracle took place? Well, it happened at a church service! And those who witnessed it could not figure out how it could happen. So? Well it is just an observation but I wonder what would happen to us Churchgoers if the Lord just did this same thing in our midst? It seems to me that we struggle with what God can do if we can’t figure it out!

  • Vs. 11 Witness: This miracle brought a witness of the work & word of God. Now look at whom it effected.
  • The healed lame man: He held on to Peter & John. So? Well now he did not fully grasp what had happened to him but he knew that it was some how tied to the name that Peter had proclaimed & they were his only link to Jesus. Folks, I think is what the body of Christ does when the Lord works in someone else’s life; “We give them a hand up & someone to hold onto.” Now as we do this we need to make sure that we continually point them to our Rock, so that their dependence will be upon Jesus & not us.
  •  All the people: The miracle not only was a witness for the healed lame man, but also for all those who heard & saw the work of God. Now to them the miracle provided a place to run too. Simply put the work of God in a life provides hope for those who need a hand up. Kind of like, “If God can do that for the 40 year old lame man then perhaps He can do this for me!” 

Wow, this is what the Church offers to a hurting world:

  • A hand up
  • A person to hold onto
  • A place to run too

III.) Vs. 12-26 Servant, Holy One, Prince of life, Jesus

Vs. 12 Again thousands came to hear what Peter had to say about the miracle of the healing of the lame man, (4:4 says that 5,000 men was the total number of saved believers). Luke tells us in verse 11 that they were on a place directly in front of the gate called beautiful as the people gathered.

            Now I believe that Peter faced the greatest opposition to date of his early ministry right here. No, there was no persecution, no one was ready to kill him or silence him. They, according to his two-fold, question were ready to elevate him to a higher status. All the elements for personal fame & fortune were at his hand. “The amazing Peter & his healing ministry!” Instead Peter deflects their gaze to Jesus.

  1. Why did this surprise them? Were they not at a Church service worshiping & praying to a God who parted the waters twice, provided water from a rock, bread from thin air, caused a ax head to float & stone from a shepherd boy’s slingshot to kill a giant? Amazing how soon we forget what a powerful God we worship.
  2. Why do you think that we are something special? Come on now I’m the same guy how coward at a servant girls words. Peter dish’s himself by saying that he & John neither have the power or the piety to do a miracle. Hey, folks we need to quit worshiping instruments don’t know?  

Do you see that? When we forget the power of the God we worship we will worship men who have now power.

Vs. 13-18 This message of Peter’s is very similar to his first message at Pentecost. Jesus is again the theme & there need for repentance the aim. He does how ever make the message more receivable by saying the rulers did it in ignorance, (verse 17). Peter uses five different words or titles to describe Jesus & in each case what the world did to Him was a paradox. Simply put how the world acts towards Jesus just does not make since. Someone was telling me that one of the news shows has been airing a series on what Jesus looked like physically. Now I did not see the news show so I can not commit on it other then to say, “Who cares?” I mean why bother to wonder what He looked like outwardly when we know for certain what He looked like inwardly? People are weird!

  1. Vs. 13a He was a servant = Man delivered Him over to judgement = God glorified Him. The word servant means ambassador, Jesus was God the Fathers personal representative. And what did man do to him deliver him to death, yet God the Father glorified. The world is judging their servant, but God is glorifying their master. 
  2. Vs. 13b Jesus means “Jehovah is salvation” = Man denied. Jesus came to save us but man denied Him the opportunity. Now the good news is that you can stop denying Him today & He will still save you.
  3. Vs. 14 Holy & Just One. = Man rejected a Holy & Just One & released a murder. They asked for Barabbas (son of father) instead of (Son of the Father) People would rather worship a dead murder then a living savior!
  4. Vs. 15 Prince of Life. The word “prince” means originator. Jesus is the originator of life & man killed the author of life. But God raised Him back to life.
  5. Vs. 20 Christ. He is the anointed of God spoken of from the prophets but man would not listen.

When you think about it rejecting Jesus just does not make sense. In verse 16 Peter tells all of us lame people how to be made whole, “through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” That is simple you say, yes it is. Why it’s not even your faith as Peter says that faith comes from Jesus.

Vs. 19-26 So here we have three promises of blessings that will come to those who repent which means “change your mind that changes behavior.” It is more then:

  • Remorse which says: “I feel bad about what I did but not enough to stop doing it.”
  • Regret which says: “I feel bad about what I did because I got caught & now have to pay the price.”
  • Resolve which says: “I feel bad about what I did & I’ll try harder next time.” 
  • Vs. 19a “your sins may be blotted out,”: The word “blotted” refers to wiping away ink from a piece of paper. Ink in those days had no acid in it & could easily be wiped away with water. So? Well that means when we repent our sins are completely removed from any possibility of view or remembrance. 
  •  Vs. 19b “so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” The word “refreshing” means rest, relief & refreshment. God does not just wipe our slate clean He breaks the chalkboard! Is that not cool or what? I mean it’s great to have a clean slate but it’s even better not to have to walk around carrying that dumb old chalkboard!
  • Vs. 20 “He may send Jesus Christ,”: Let me get this strait, “If I repent I Get”:
  • My sins wiped out completely
  • No more heavy slate to carry around
  • To be with Jesus for ever

Wow, what a deal! No wonder Peter concludes by saying in verse 26 “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”